True or False?
Does a foreign national automatically gain citizenship by marrying a U.S. citizen?
FALSE. Many potential clients approach family immigration lawyers thinking that as soon as a couple gets married, all of the foreign national’s immigration problems will disappear. Unfortunately, this is not the truth. A foreign national who marries a U.S. citizen is not automatically given U.S. citizen. Nor is the foreign national automatically granted permanent residency in the United States.
The truth is, a foreign national who marries a U.S. citizen must pass through many hops before being granted permanent residency in the United States. Although being married to a U.S. citizen will provide for certain privileges to the foreign national, it is in no way a guarantee that the foreign national will be able to gain permanent residency. If you are married to a U.S. citizen and seek to gain permanent residency, please contact a family immigration lawyer to discuss your options.
A variation of this false statement is that if you are married to a U.S. citizen for two years, you automatically gain permanent residency. This is also false.